Can a Siamese Cat's Fur Change From Dark to Light?

by Jane Williams

Dark coats are so last season ...

One day you notice Miss Suki's coat looking a little different. You check old photos and verify that her fur is darker than it used to be. Or lighter. In either case, your cat's fur had changed color so gradually that you hadn't noticed.

Dark to Light, Light to Dark

Hear the term "Siamese cat" and you probably think of a bright white cat with darker spots on her face, ears, legs and tail. Although this is the quintessential look of these vocal, blue-eyed oriental kitties, that colorization doesn't always stay pristine as the years go by. Various factors can naturally change your cat's coloring. The change is completely normal and no cause for alarm.

Temperature Tints

Remember those toys that change color in warm or cool water? Your Siamese's skin is kind of like that. Her hair color is determined by the temperature of her skin. Cold skin grows dark hair, and warm skin grows lighter hair. Her environment can also affect her coloring, so her hair grows in darker in winter and lighter in summer. Compare pictures of her from throughout the year and you might notice a distinct shading difference depending on the season.

Sun-Bleached

The sun has a way of lightening colors over time, and Miss Suki could be a walking reminder of this fact. If your kitty has a patch of sunlight she particularly likes to lounge in day after day after day, she might be sun-bleaching her coat during her sunbaths. You might need to remind her to flip over now and then, or she could end up lighter on one side than the other.

Aging Alterations

Father Time is an equal-opportunity trickster, and his handiwork can affect your cat as much as you. Aging tends to introduce gray or silver strands as we grow older, and your cat is not immune. Your cat might lighten because she's “going gray” as she matures. However, many Siamese cats tend to darken as they age, because their skin temperature drops.

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About the Author

Jane Williams began her writing career in 2000 as the writer and editor of a nationwide marketing company. Her articles have appeared on various websites. Williams briefly attended college for a degree in administration before embarking on her writing career.